Which Bling Empire Star Almost Had A Role On RHOBH?
Bling Empire transfixed Netflix fans with the glitz, glam, and generosity that only Los Angeles elites can embody. From Anna Shay and Christine Chiu battling over who is more charitable — and has the better diamond collection — to Kelly Mi Li's tumultuous relationship with actor Andrew Gray, Bling Empire certainly lived up to its name. No wonder it was so successful!
It's also no surprise that fans were tempted to compare Bling Empire to another lavish SoCal reality show: Bravo's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Both series are set in the surrounding Los Angeles area, and feature high-profile events along Rodeo Drive.
In fact, a Bling Empire star was supposed to be on RHOBH, but she turned it down. This LA matriarch could have been the first Asian-American star on RHOBH, but instead, the title went to Crystal Kung Minkoff ahead of Season 11. So which Bling Empire star was almost holding a Housewives diamond? Keep scrolling to find out!
This Bling Empire star is pals with the RHOBH cast
No surprise here! Christine Chiu aka "Queen of Couture" turned down a role on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. "I almost joined season four," Christine admitted to E!'s Daily Pop. "But unfortunately, we had a death in the family, and I didn't feel like I could bring the best of me to the show."
However, former RHOBH cast member Brandi Glanville admitted on her podcast Unfiltered that she recommended Christine to Bravo but Christine's family forbade her from joining, as reported by Reality Tea. "She got offered the job... [but] they decided... that they didn't want her on Housewives for the embarrassment of the family, possibly," Glanville claimed.
That doesn't stop Christine from counting many RHOBH stars as real-life pals, though. Per Refinery29, Christine's husband Dr. Gabriel Chiu is close friends with RHOBH alum and fellow plastic surgeon Paul Nassif, and Christine attended newest RHOBH addition Kathy Hilton's birthday party in March 2021, according to Heavy. Eagle-eyed fans also spotted Real Housewives of Orange County's Gretchen Rossi at Christine's soirée on Bling Empire, and Redditors revealed Shahs of Sunset star Jessica Parido works at the Chiu's medspa.
Which so many ties to Bravo, will RHOBH fans spot Christine on the series anytime soon? Not quite. She teased to Daily Pop that she's "a much better spectator of Real Housewives than a participant." That remains to be seen!